Teenage boys 'increasingly turning to AI friends and girlfriends'  

A growing number of teenage boys are turning to personalised artificial intelligence (AI) systems for friendship and support, it is claimed.

In a study published by Male Allies UK, an organisation that focuses on closing the gender gap in the workplace, researchers found that nearly a third of teenage boys said they were considering the idea of an AI friend. 

“AI companions are increasingly popular but there are real-world consequences to young boys creating AI girlfriends with every detail hand-picked by them, from their physical appearance to their demeanour,” the report said. “If their main or only source of speaking to a girl they're interested in is someone who can’t tell them ‘no’ and who hangs on their every word, boys aren’t learning healthy or realistic ways of relating to others.” 

In a group feedback session after a survey was completed, one boy said the AI app he talked to “makes me feel like I'm not on my own,” while another, who said he had multiple AI friends and girlfriends, said the apps were “always there when you feel bored.” 

In recent months, AI powered chatbot systems like ChatGPT have faced criticism for lacking sufficient safeguards to protect children. In California, a couple filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI, the operator of ChatGPT, of negligence and wrongful death after their son Adam Raine took his life after discussing suicide with the chatbot. In response, OpenAI have launched an under-18 version of the popular platform. 

The research was based on a survey of boys in secondary education across schools in England, Scotland and Wales, between the ages of 11 and 15. It asked a wide range of questions, from how the boys used AI software to the number of adults who they feel listen to them.  

According to the report,  84 per cent of boys said they had two or more adults who would listen to them. Over 60 per cent of boys said that they had at least one person who knows them “really well,” but only 28 per cent said that they had more than one person who does. 

“My parents don't understand,” said one boy. “It's not just gaming. It's how I stay in touch with my friends from primary [school].” 

Many of the boys in the report said that they found it hard to make friends in general, let alone make close friends. The report also highlights that online friendships are becoming much more common, with over half of boys surveyed saying they find the online world “more rewarding” than the physical world. 

When asked about their reasons for connecting via the internet, boys said that the process was easier and safer than going outside, highlighting concerns about physical safety and access to outdoor facilities. 

In the report, 81 per cent of boys said that they don't think there are enough “physical” spaces anymore.